Zlatan Ibrahimovic To Face 3-Match Ban After FA Press Charges Over Violent Conduct

Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings have been charged with alleged violent conduct by the Football Association following separate incidents during the Premier League game between Manchester United and Bournemouth on Saturday.

The pair clashed shortly before half-time, with Mings seen to stamp on Ibrahimovic's head before the striker then caught his opponent with his elbow. Neither player was dismissed by referee Kevin Friend during the game.

A statement from the FA said the incidents "were not seen by the match officials at the time but caught on video."

It continued: "Furthermore, The FA has submitted a claim that the standard punishment that would otherwise apply for the misconduct committed by the Bournemouth defender is 'clearly insufficient.'"

Ibrahimovic and Mings have until 6 p.m. on Tuesday to reply to their respective charges.

If Ibrahimovic accepts the charge, he will automatically face a three-match ban, ruling him out of the FA Cup quarterfinal clash against Chelsea and subsequently the Premier League games against Middlesbrough and West Brom. 

If he chooses to contest it then the case will be heard by a panel before the end of this week and, if found not-guilty, he would be free to play against the Blues.

Disciplinary action is only applicable to domestic fixtures and therefore he will be available for the Europa League round-of-16 games against FC Rostov.

Ibrahimovic is United's top goal-scorer this season with 15 goals in 25 Premier League games and 26 goals in 35 appearances in all competitions.

Following the game, Ibrahimovic told the BBC: "Listen, what happens on the field stays on the field.

"I'm not someone who attacks someone off the field. You have the TV, you can see the images. I jump up and jump high and he jumps into my elbow."

Speaking on MUTV, he added: "Hopefully he is not injured. These situations happen. I go for the ball and I am unlucky that he jumps into my elbow. Nothing on purpose."

Mings, in an interview with Sky Sports, said he had not deliberately stamped on Ibrahimovic's head.

"Not at all. I would never do that," he said. "That's not in my game. Hard and fair is how I like to tackle but off the ball stuff like that isn't in my game.

"He [Ibrahimovic] is who he is, he's a good player, he's a physical player. I knew what sort of battle I was going to be in for coming here. And that's what we had all day, it was a battle.

"There was maybe an elbow when the ball came in after, I didn't see it, I felt it. But what happened after that with Surman getting sent off, I didn't see it."

Meanwhile, ex-Premier League referee Keith Hackett has slammed Friend's performance in the game as the poorest showing this season.

"Friend was like a rabbit in the headlights at United on Saturday and it was the worst refereeing performance in the Premier League this season, or even for some time," Hackett said.

"I will be absolutely gobsmacked if Ibrahimovic and Mings are not charged retrospectively but you cannot possibly ignore how poorly Friend performed in that